Sweetly fragrant, free-flowering, and easy to grow! This very special newcomer from renowned Polish breeder Marczynski produces masses of small, star-shaped reddish-purple flowers in July and August with occasional flowering into October. 'Sweet Summer Love' is the first fragrant, multicolored clematis and can produce over 2,000 flowers in a growing season. Hardy and disease-resistant, a mature plant can cover 12′ structures. A Proven Winners®/Color Choice® variety. Pruning group 3. PP 24,044

For beautiful colors, extravagance of blooms, and graceful habit, nothing compares with Clematis, the queen of the flowering vines. Whether used on posts or fences, clambering through shrubs and trees, or following wire frames in borders, they will enrich the landscape. Give them good soil, reasonable moisture, and shade at their roots.

The size of the plants we ship has been selected to reduce the shock of transplanting. For some, this means a large, bareroot crown. Others cannot travel bareroot or transplant best if grown in containers. We ship these perennials and annuals in 1 pint pots, except as noted. We must point out that many perennials will not bloom the first year after planting, but will the following year, amply rewarding your patience. We ship bulbs as dormant, bare bulbs, sometimes with some wood shavings or moss. Shrubs, Roses, vines, and other woody plants may be shipped bareroot or in pots. The size of the pot is noted in the quick facts for each item.

WHEN WE SHIP

We ship our bulbs and plants at the right time for planting in your area, except as noted, with orders dispatched on a first-come, first-served basis by climate zone. Estimated dates for shipping are indicated in the Shipping Details box for each item. Please refer to the Shipping Details box to determine the earliest shipping time. Unless you specify otherwise, fertilizers, tools, and other non-plant items are shipped with your plants or bulbs. Please supply a street address for delivery. Kindly contact us with two weeks notice, if you'll be away at expected time of delivery.

OUR GUARANTEE

We guarantee to ship plants that are in prime condition for growing. If your order is damaged or fails to meet your expectations, we will cheerfully replace or refund it. Please contact our Customer Service Department at 1-800-503-9624 or email us at [email protected]. Please include your order number or customer number when contacting us.

Purchased twice, died twice

rljone00
from Lexington, Kentucky

Purchased twice, in 2012 and 2013. Does not thrive, even in excellent soil, good drainage and full sun. maybe the plants I bought were too small -- both purchased on this site. I've given up on it and will not purchase again unless I happen to find it in a 2 gallon container at least. Lost to mildew both times. The plants I bought had one or two stems at most when they arrived. Don't waste your money.

Maybe not for the South

CarolSouth
from Durham, NC

I've had two of these for two years. Neither have bloomed. One plant died in our dry summer this year. I'm not looking for a credit, just wanted to warn people that they don't seem to tolerate North Carolina heat even if the roots are in shade. I still have hopes that the one remaining will bloom next year.

Worth the wait!

A viewer
from Wynnewood, PA

I purchased two "Sweet Summer Love" plants from WFF in early June 2016 to grow up the uninteresting lamppost in my front yard that is shaded by a mature maple tree. In their first summer (2016), I was sure that the excessive heat would do them in as they looked worse for the wear despite careful watering and tending; but this spring (2017), the plant leapt to life. Using a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer, the two plants braided tendrils around the lamp post and have produced a continuous flush of petite but sweetly-scented flowers for more than a month now (with no sign of slowing down!). Very, very pleased with this purchase!

This very diverse group of lovely, ornamental vines will entice you to garden on the vertical plane. There's a Clematis for virtually every situation: grow the shorter and non-climbing types through shrub Roses and small trees and cover an arbor or a trellis with the taller varieties. The long flowering season begins with the compact alpinas and macropetalas in early spring, progresses through early summer with the large-flowered hybrids, continues through late summer with the boisterous texensis and viticella varieties, and concludes with the exuberant and infallible Clematis paniculata that will literally cover an unsightly structure or arbor in one season.

Light/Watering:

In general, these lush vines like at least 6 hours of sun. Some varieties are adapted to partial shade and all benefit from afternoon shade in the South.

Clematis prefers a cool root run, so lay flat stones at its base, or plant annuals or shallow-rooted perennials around them.

Regular watering is desirable, especially during seasonal dry periods. Clematis is deep-rooted, so water thoroughly.

Fertilizer/Soil and pH:

Clematis is at its best in rich soils with good drainage. It prefers a neutral soil, so check pH and add lime if needed.

Plant the crown of your plant 3–4″ below the soil surface; this will protect dormant buds that will provide new growth if the existing stem(s) are injured.

Provide support immediately or plants will languish.

Clematis is a heavy feeder; supply a low nitrogen fertilizer such as 5-10-10 in spring, when the buds are about 2″ long. Alternate feedings every 4 to 6 weeks with a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer. Continue this alternate feeding until the end of the growing season.

Pests/Diseases:

Clematis is susceptible to fungi that can cause the vine to suddenly wilt and turn brown or black. Carefully prune out all diseased tissue and destroy; disinfect your pruners with a bleach solution. Generally this disease is not fatal, especially if you have planted the vine correctly, as dormant buds will send up new growth from the crown.

Handle gently when planting and be careful when cultivating, as physical injury to the stems can cause them to wilt and die.

Companions:

Plant these lovely vines at the base of shrubs and small trees; they will weave their way through the supporting foliage and extend the season of interest with their showy blooms.

Use the woody structure of Shrub Roses to support the non-clinging Clematis varieties; for instance, grow purple or blue Clematis through a yellow Shrub Rose for a fabulous contrast. Remember that a supporting woody plant will compete with the Clematis for water and nutrients and adjust your culture as necessary.

Reflowering:

To promote reflowering for late season bloomers during the growing season, the vine can be cut by one-half after the main bloom period.

Varieties that flower on old and new wood will often throw out a few blooms at the end of the growing season.

Transplanting:

Young vines may be moved with plenty of soil as long as they are watered religiously.

Depending on variety, cut back lightly or severely before moving in early spring.

Pruning:

Dead or damaged stems may be removed at any time.

Early in the first spring after planting, prune the stems of all Clematis varieties down to the lowest pair of healthy buds. Thereafter, prune to control size and shape or to encourage more profuse bloom.

Flowering tends to decline on stems that are four or more years old, so it's a good idea to prune out very old stems periodically in early spring. This pruning helps produce more compact plants with flowers closer to eye level. Sometimes, on older vines, the flowering is confined to a small area at the tops of the stems.

If you wish, you can rejuvenate old plants by cutting them back severely, to about 18". Wait until after the first flush of bloom to perform the surgery.

Clematis are divided into pruning groups as follows:

Group I plants bloom on old wood and require no pruning except to control size, in which case prune lightly after flowering back to a pair of healthy buds. Group I varieties include Clematis alpina 'Stolwijk Gold' and Clematis montana 'Mayleen.'

Group II plants bloom first on old wood and then again on new; prune lightly in early spring to shape and remove weak growth and then prune after bloom if desired.

Group II varieties include:

'Alabast'

'Angela'

Anna Louise™ Evithree(N)

Arctic Queen™ Evitwo(N)

'Bees' Jubilee'

Blue Light®

Bourbon™

'Carnival'

Cezanne™ Evipo023(N)

Cherokee™ Evipo041(N)

Chevalier™ Evipo040(N)

Clair de Lune™ Evirin(N)

Crystal Fountain™ Evipo038(N)

Dancing® Queen

Diamantina™ Evipo039(N)

'Diamond Ball'

Diana's Delight™ Evipo026(N)

'Dr. Ruppel'

'Edouard Desfosse'

Empress™ Evipo011(N)

Fleuri™ Evipo042(N)

Franziska Maria™ Evipo008(N)

'Guernsey Cream'

Happy Jack® Purple

Hyde Hall™ Evipo009(N)

Ice Blue™

Josephine™ Evijohill(N)

Liberation™ Evifive(N)

'Little Mermaid'

C. lanuginosa

'Candida'

C. macropetala

'Mon Amour'

'Multi-Blue'

'Nelly Moser'

'Niobe'

'Piilu'

Rosemoor™ Evipo002(N)

Royal Velvet™ Evifour(N)

Sapphire Indigo™

Still Waters™

Sugar Candy™ Evione(N)

'The President'

'Vyvyan Pennell'

'Wada's Primrose'

Zara™ Evipo062(N)

Group III plants all flower on new growth and can be cut back to 12″ in early spring. This group is ideal for growing through shrubs as all old growth is removed annually.

Group III varieties include:

'American Beauty'

Amethyst Beauty™ Evipo043(N)

'Arabella'

Avant-Garde™ Evipo033(N)

'Betty Corning'

Bonanza™ Evipo031(N)

Cassis™ Evipo020(N)

Chantilly™ Evipo021(N)

'Comtesse de Bouchaud'

Corinne™ Evipo063(N)

Edda™ Evipo074(N)

Endellion™ Evipo076(N)

'Etoile Violette'

'Fairydust'

'Fascination'

Clematis florida 'Plena'

Clematis florida 'Sieboldii'

Guiding Promise™ Evipo053(N)

C. x jackmanii 'Superba'

Juliane™ Evipo049(N)

'Madame Julia Correvon'

Marta™ Evipo071(N)

'Morning Star'

Clematis paniculata

Parisienne™ Evipo019(N)

Peppermint™

Picardy™ Evipo024(N)

'Pink Fantasy,

'Pink Mink®

Pistachio™

Samaritan Jo™ Evipo075(N)

'Summerdream'

'Sunset'

'Sweet Summer Love'

Tekla™ Evipo069(N)

'Tie Dye'

Clematis x triternata 'Rubromarginata'

Vienetta™

'Ville de Lyon'

Wisley™ Evipo001(N)

End of Season Care:

Plants may be mulched, but take care to keep mulch material away from the crowns and stems of the plants.

Check to make sure that the vines of Group I and II plants are tied securely to supports to withstand winter winds.

Calendar of Care

Early Spring:

Fertilize with 5-10-10 when new growth reaches two inches.

If you need to move a plant, transplant young vines now.

Wait until new growth appears before removing dead or damaged stems and before pruning as required by variety: leave Group I Clematis alone; prune Group II plants lightly to shape and remove weak growth; cut Group III varieties back to 12 inches above the ground, or higher if you desire taller vines.

If this is the first spring after planting, prune stems of all varieties down to the lowest pair of healthy buds to encourage strong growth and new stems.

Mid-Spring:

Continue feeding every month, alternating 5-10-10 with 10-10-10.

Plant annuals at base of plants if unprotected by flat stones to allow for a cool root zone.

Gently tie vines to supports as they grow.

Late Spring:

Mulch if desired but keep material away from crowns and stems.

Water thoroughly if season is dry.

Cultivate around vines with care as physical injury will cause wilting and death of injured stems.

Continue to guide new growth by tying to supports as needed.

Lightly prune Group I Clematis immediately after flowering to shape the vines if needed.

Summer:

Watch for signs of fungal wilt and remove and destroy affected plant parts if it occurs, then sterilize pruners with bleach solution.

Group II Clematis may be pruned back by one-half after main flush of bloom to encourage strong growth and new flowers.

Continue to water if conditions indicate.

Fall:

Check to be certain that the vines of Group I and II varieties are tied securely to supports to withstand winter wind and snow.

White Flower Farm is a family-owned mail-order nursery located in northwestern Connecticut. Since 1950 we have been providing a wide range of perennials, annuals, bulbs, shrubs, vines, amaryllis, gardening tools & supplies, and gifts for gardeners. We also offer gardening advice and how-to information to gardeners throughout the United States. We invite you to browse our online catalogs, and to join our email list for special offers and useful gardening tips. White Flower Farm&REG; is a registered trademark of White Flower Farm, Inc. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.